Voices in the Snow

Voice in the Snow (Black Winter #1)

Let me start off by saying that I am a fan of Coates' work. She is currently the only author that I read all of her books because she wrote them, not because they are part of a series that I'm currently reading by an author. Despite this though, I liked this book, but did not love it. I suspect this is due to how many of her works are primarily ghost stories. Also, most of her works are not serialized where this one is the first in a series. These two facts are the crux of why I think I did not like this book more. I felt that it moved at a slower pace than her other works, but I am okay with this since I am expecting more stories to follow. I also felt that she was figuring out how to do other horror beyond the ghost story. Many times I wondered if this was in fact going to be a ghost story, so I struggled with what to expect. However, by the end of the book, I was pleased to see the direction she had taken the horror creature in. These thing being said, I am excited for the sequels. (Three are planned). I also feel the sequels will do better because this book has competed the set up and development of the horror creature and how this type of creature came into being in the story's world.

I also enjoyed the dynamic between the main character, Clare, and her host, Dorran, who had rescued her when she became stranded in a driving accident. It is very intriguing to see how their initial mistrust and barriers between each other breaks down as the story goes on. Dorran's back story was quite interesting and the revelations were quite satisfying. I look forward to finding out what is happening to Clare's family, who she was on her way to find when her accident occurred.

As a final note, Coates does an excellent job creating suspense and terror in this book, which is supplemented for the reader since the reader doesn't quite know what threat Clare is dealing with alongside her.

I'd recommend reading this story for those that like stories with ghosts, monsters, the paranormal, or the supernatural in general.While these genres may not fit exactly, this story will deliver many of the same thrills and chills that those genres do.

Rating:
Story: 3 Stars
Characters: 4 Stars
Settings: 3 Stars
Literary Quality: 3 Stars
Overall Quality: 3 Salmon

Nerdy Details:
Author: Darcy Coates
Publisher: Black Owl Books
Published: 18 November 2019
Page Length: 352
Genre: Horror
Sub-Genre: Monsters
Awards and Nominations: None